


latibule.

by aroterano



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Gambling, Kirigiri Kyoko is so Done, Rivals to Lovers, Sharing a Bed, Tags May Change, Tea Parties, Unresolved Romantic Tension, alternate universe - celestia lives, celestia is alive because shut up, except it is resolved eventually???, i can't think of any more tags look away, its not rlly rivals to lovers but celesgiri in general is. rivals to lovers., playing cards, why is that not a tag....anyway
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27652169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aroterano/pseuds/aroterano
Summary: "Wait," Kyoko strided across the room, until she was in front of the black-haired student. "Why come to me? Why not someone else?"Celestia sighed. "I've said this before—you're the only intelligible person here, besides Togami. And he wouldn't let me stay...so the only option was you.""Who said I would let you stay?" Kyoko stepped closer to the gambler.Celeste smirked. "Well, I'm here now, aren't I, Kirigiri?" She stepped towards the lavender-haired girl in response. "And you're not doing much about it," she whispered, pulling on her tie, a coy look in her eye.or:Celestia Ludenberg is still alive.
Relationships: Kirigiri Kyoko & Celestia Ludenberg, Kirigiri Kyoko/Celestia Ludenberg
Comments: 9
Kudos: 74





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyy i have No idea what im doing im just So sad celeste died 
> 
> there's like four plot holes but that's ok no one cares its fine shhhhh i haven't proofread this that much so i might edit it later idk
> 
> also IT WAS CELESTE'S BIRTHDAY ON THE 23RD AND NO ONE TOLD ME this is not for that but lets pretend it is
> 
> ALSO ALSO the second part is a flashback!!! it happens _before_ celeste's exceuction

"Such a tragedy," Celestia smiled sadly, tilting her head. "Why must dreams tease us so mercilessly?"

Kyoko narrowed her eyes at the gambler, who seemed far too serene for someone who was about to be _executed_.

Asahina raised her fist. "How can you be so _calm_ about this?!" she grit her teeth. "You're about to be executed! Aren't you—aren't you terrified?"

With the same smile on her face, Celeste continued, "Oh, deep down, I imagine I'm absolutely paralyzed with fear! But then again, you have my talent—I'm so good at deceiving everyone else, deceiving myself is child's play."

Kyoko shifted her weight to her other foot, keeping her eyes set on the black-haired girl as she started walking towards Naegi. Her words roamed the detective's mind—they were words built on fear, words that would haunt Kyoko for the rest of her life—however long that might be.

"In a previous life, I'm sure I'd have to have been Marie Antoinette," the gambler kept her smile on her face as she walked past Naegi.

"So, uh, you must be familiar with execution, huh?" Hagakure joked. Kyoko observed him closely—he had been a major suspect not long ago. An empty feeling filled her stomach, as she realized how close they had been to getting the wrong person, how close they had been to _dying_.

As Celestia walked past Sakura, giggling, Kyoko brought her gaze back on the gambler. She walked closer to the detective, raising a hand up to shake. The lavender-haired girl stared at the hand, with its long, black nails, and the single ring on her finger—one she would never see again. "Best of luck," the gambler said, "though I know it's hollow, coming from me."

Without blinking, Kyoko raised her gaze to Celestia's wrist. The detective admired the girl in front of her—she'd been so capable, but she was still on the verge of death. Kyoko lifted her hand up to meet Celeste's.

"Maybe dreams aren't so merciless," Celeste stated, placing her other hand on top of Kyoko's gloved one. "But no," she closed her eyes, "now is a cruel time for maybe's."

As the girl's hand's slipped away, Kyoko winced silently. She wanted to say something— _anything_ —because maybe, she'd noticed Celeste—and maybe, she'd shot a glance or two at Celeste when the raven-haired girl wasn't looking—and maybe, she _enjoyed_ the company Celeste brought.

_It's too late for this_ _, Kirigiri_ , the detective pushed her thoughts away as she stared at the gambler's back. _She's about to die._

"Farewell, everybody," Celestia turned around. She laced her fingers together and brought her hands up to her chin. "Perhaps, in another life, we'll all meet again."

Monokuma smiled viciously, before raising his hammer and slamming it down on the button.

* * *

Kyoko slipped out of her room, careful to not make any noise. She strided silently across the halls, rounding corners, climbing up the set of stairs, until she reached the library.

The room was dimly lit—Kyoko could make out the line of shelves against the walls, the desk with documents splayed over it, and the table and chair in the middle. She sighed softly, moving across the room.

"What are you doing here?" a clear voice cut through the detective's thoughts. Kyoko whipped around, only to see someone standing behind her.

Celestia Ludenberg stood silently, her gaze piercing.

"I could ask the same for you," Kyoko muttered, caught off-guard. "What are _you_ doing here, Celeste? You were the one who enforced the Night Time Rule."

"Ah, well," Celestia stepped closer to the detective. "Rules are meant to be broken, aren't they?"

Kyoko clenched her fist—suddenly she was acutely aware how close the gambler was to her. Her eyes locked with Celestia's red ones. "Why did you make the rule up if you were going to go against it?"

Celeste sighed. "I didn't want people _bothering_ me," she answered simply. "Like you are, now. Although, out of all of us, you and Togami are the most reasonable ones." She moved even closer, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "And I could use some company."

"What are you even doing?" Kyoko snapped, stepping away. She averted her gaze quickly, feeling warmth on her cheeks.

"Trying to find a way out," Celestia muttered. "I hate this place."

"I thought—then why do you tell us to get used to it?"

The black-haired girl sighed. "So you believed me," she crossed her arms. "I was _lying_ , Kirigiri. I'm called the Queen of Liars for a reason."

Hearing the gambler say her name made something in Kyoko's stomach flutter. "Why not examine the school during the day, with everyone else?"

"I told you," Celeste finally sat down, pulling a chair out, "I prefer being alone...without people bothering me." She looked up at the detective, a small smirk playing on her lips. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Kyoko dragged a chair out and slid on. "I've been coming here for a while," she admitted. "I'm an insomniac." She tapped her fingers on the desk restlessly. "I've been meaning to find the secret of this school—why it was made, how it works, who the Mastermind is, why I can't rem—I mean, how to get out." 

"What were you going to say?" Celeste raised an eyebrow. 

"Unimportant," Kyoko stood up suddenly. "I'm leaving now."

Celestia crossed a leg over her other one. "So soon?"

Kyoko paused. "I like working alone, too," she responded. "Good night, Celestia."

"Good night, Kyoko Kirigiri," the gambler smiled, waving.

* * *

Kyoko groaned, flipping over. She ran her fingers through her hair with one hand and slid the other one under her pillow. She hadn't changed out of her daily outfit—she was far too tired.

_"Best of luck."_

Kyoko pushed herself up, wanting to get out of her room. It felt suffocating—the entire _school_ felt suffocating, filled with death, something none of them should've gone through.

_"Maybe dreams aren't so merciless."_

The lavender-haired detective sighed, turning around while still sitting. The heat that had radiated from the fire filled her mind. She felt tears run down her cheeks.

_"Farewell, everyone_."

Kyoko tucked her knees against her chest, wrapping her arms around them. She kept flashing back to Celeste's smiling face, seconds before her death.

_"Perhaps, in another life, we'll all meet again."_

The sound of a bell ringing interrupted her dark thoughts. Kyoko blinked. _Who's up right now?_ she thought, sliding off her bed an raising an arm to wipe her tears. _It's probably Naegi...it would be awkward if he saw me like this_ _._

She pulled the door open carelessly, to find none other than Celestia Ludenberg.

She still had on the same clothes as before—her gothic lolita dress and red tie. She still had blazing red eyes and perfect hair—in fact, she looked nothing like someone who had just been burned at a stake. She still had a condescending air around her, and a smirk still tugged at her lips.

It took a minute for the detective to register what—or _who_ was in front of her. "What the fuck?" she breathed out.

"Hello, Kirigiri," Celeste greeted. She waited patiently for the other girl to respond.

"Wait—I saw you _die_. I saw you—you were—you're supposed to be dead!" Kyoko exclaimed, stepping back.

Celeste pushed past her, slipping into the room. She moved towards the edge of the bed, and then finally turned around. "No 'hello' back? Very well. If I'm supposed to be dead, Kirigiri, why am I here now?" The gambler crossed her arms, eyebrow raised, weight shifted on to one foot.

"What the fuck," Kyoko closed her door, jerking against it. "What—am I dreaming? Is this a dream?"

"This isn't a dream," Celeste deadpanned. "Although, I'm flattered that you think you would dream of me."

"Why are you here? _How_ are you here?" Kyoko asked.

Celeste rolled her eyes. "I'm not dying just yet. You can't get rid of me, Kirigiri." Her gaze lowered to Kyoko's blazer, which was still on, albeit crumpled from the turning in bed. "Why are you still wearing that?"

"Oh," the detective glanced down at herself. "I didn't change—you're still wearing yours," she replied, staring at Celestia's slightly undone tie.

"I just escaped death, Kirigiri," the gambler narrowed her eyes. "I didn't get _time_ to change." 

"I see," Kyoko responded. Her usual poise came back—her voice quiet again, unwavering. "Was it a fake?"

"Was what a fake?" Celeste leaned against the bed. "Do you mean the Celestia that was burned alive? Of course it was a fake. The gambling world brings things that are often unnecessary in usual situations, unlike ours. That dumb bear is—"

"Wait," Kyoko strided across the room, until she was in front of the black-haired student. "Why come to me? Why not someone else?"

Celestia sighed. "I've said this before—you're the only intelligible person here, besides Togami. And he wouldn't let me stay...so the only option was you."

"Who said _I_ would let you stay?" Kyoko stepped closer to the gambler.

Celeste smirked. "Well, I'm here now, aren't I, Kirigiri?" She stepped towards the lavender-haired girl in response. "And you're not doing much about it," she whispered, pulling on her tie, a coy look in her eye.

The detective pursed her lips, looking away. She moved towards her bed, huffing.

Celestia glanced at the cameras. "Did you tamper with those?" she asked, waving a hand lazily to gesture at them.

Kyoko stood stiff. "I—not _exactly..._ but Monokuma won't be able to tell you're here," she looked away quickly. "It's not important how."

"I wasn't going to ask," Celeste raised an eyebrow. "So, are you letting me stay?"

Kyoko narrowed her eyes. "It won't matter, you know," she replied, "if anyone else dies—and I hope no one does, but it seems that here's it's inevitable—they're going to investigate my room." The detective realized that Celestia was a _murderer_ , and she had _killed_ not one, but _two_ people, without regret. "It seems like they're all suspicious of me, except perhaps Naegi."

"Naegi, hm?" Celeste picked at her nails. "Well, I guess I could possibly stay in my own room, since there's no reason why they would explore that—but you'd have to do some tampering."

"Or we could pull off a Sayaka," Kyoko considered, "but that was early on...they might've memorized where my room is by now, and would notice."

Celeste edged close to her, until their shoulders touched. "What about this," the gambler suggested, "you think about this tomorrow, when you have enough sleep. I can just stay here tonight. I don't think anyone's killing anyone else the day after the trial."

Kyoko nodded, turning around. "Wait—there's only one bed. We c—"

"Share," Celestia interrupted. "We can just share the bed."

"Right," the detective confirmed, ignoring the blush on both of their cheeks. "Do you want to get on first, or..."

Neither of them made a move.

"Is there even enough space?" Kyoko retorted. "I mean, it's not like we—and—how are we both supposed to fit?" She turned around to face the other girl, who was still observing the bed.

Celeste sighed. "Well, the other option is that you sleep on the floor."

"I'm not sleeping on the floor," Kyoko muttered. "Whatever, we'll fit." She turned to the bed again, climbing on. "Are you going to tell me how you got away with it? How did you just have a spare you lying around? How'd you switch so fast?"

"The gambling world comes with interesting prizes," Celeste responded. "How I switched...I never leave without it. You never know when you have to leave quickly after losing a bet...which I never had to do, of course."

"What did you do afterward?" Kyoko shifted to one side of the bed, leaving a little space for the other student. "None of us saw you...where were you?"

Celestia pushed herself up. "I went to the locker room, of course," she answered, swinging her other leg up. "Then, I stuck to the shadows, trying to avoid the cameras. I'm wearing black, so it wasn't that difficult." She shifted towards the detective. "Which reminds me...sorry about the outburst earlier. It was uncalled for."

"It's—that's okay. It's fine. I still can't believe you're alive," Kyoko breathed out, moving closer to the edge of the bed.

"Are you glad to see me?" Celestia smirked.

Kyoko hid her smile with a gloved hand. "Wait—you're not going to _kill_ me, right?" she asked, suddenly struck with fear.

"Murder is the last thing on my mind," the gambler responded. Kyoko could pick out the fear and annoyance in her voice.

The lavender-haired detective nodded, slowly laying down and turning on to her side. "Good night."

"Sleep well, Kirigiri," Celeste sighed, right before Kyoko closed her eyes, far too aware how closely pressed together they were.

* * *

When the detective opened her lavender eyes, the first thing she noted was that there were arms around her waist.

She shifted slightly, peering over her own shoulder. Celeste's face was calm, so different from how it had been when she had _snapped_ right before what was _supposed_ to be her execution.

_I have to deal with this now_ , Kyoko groaned internally. She'd barely gotten any sleep last night, and the bed was _so warm_ and Celeste was _so, so warm—_

A blush danced on the detective's face as she reassessed her previous thoughts. "Celestia," she hissed, elbowing the gambler slightly.

"Wh—oh," Celeste blinked her eyes open sleepily. She stared at Kyoko's shoulder for a moment, before getting up suddenly, clearly flustered. "Sorry," she mumbled—Celeste _never_ said sorry—and pushed herself away. "Are we—do I get to go back to my room today?"

"Yes," Kyoko slipped off the bed, nodding in confirmation. "I—you have to be really careful, Celeste," she pursed her lips. "Don't get caught."

"Looks like someone's worried about me," Celeste smirked, sitting up. "When are you going to be done with...whatever we're doing? Are you messing up the cameras, or switching rooms?"

"It'll have to be the former," Kyoko sighed. "I'm going to be late to breakfast today." She looked up at the gambler. "Do you still have the key to your room?"

Celeste nodded, pulling it out. "How did you know how to tamper with the cameras?" she asked, climbing off the bed. "Who taught you?"

Kyoko pursed her lips. "I—I asked Chihiro before they died...of course, they weren't able to teach me much. I finished the job recently, with Alter Ego."

"I guess we all had selfish uses for Alter Ego," Celestia sighed. She flattened her skirt—which she'd worn to sleep _—_ and smiled at Kyoko.

"You used Alter Ego to manipulate people and _murder—_ and not one person, but two," the detective responded flatly. "There's a big difference between my use and your use."

"Ah, well," Celestia pursed her lips, "I had the chance, and I just went along with it."

"You didn't _go along with it_ ," the lavender-haired student yelled. "You planned it out!" She ran her fingers through her hair. "What if—what if they were our friends, Celeste?" Kyoko asked, eyebrows furrowed. "What if—what if we got to _know_ them, and we liked their company? And now we'll never know because they'll never get out because you _killed_ them!"

Celestia grit her teeth. "You can say that about anyone!"

"Well, you shouldn't _murder_ anyone!"

"Whatever," the black-haired girl stomped to the door. "I hated Hifumi almost as much as I hate losing."

Kyoko strided towards her. "This isn't about Hifumi or Ishimaru—this is about how you killed people without any regret," she pinched the bridge of her nose. "What about that do you not understand?"

"Just because I—" Celestia paused, regaining her composure. "Let's just go. Unless you want a _murderer_ staying in your room."

* * *

"You're late," Makoto noted, as the detective sat down next to him.

She nodded absentmindedly. She had only been half-done with changing up the cameras when Monokuma woke the rest of the school up; once she was finished, she had to wait for everyone to pass, and then she finally sighed and walked out of the room, leaving Celestia alone.

_I hope she's okay_ , Kyoko thought, _and not...doing anything bad._

"Are you okay?" Naegi interrupted the lavender-haired student's thoughts. "You seem distracted."

"I'm fine," Kyoko answered curtly. "It's fine—I'm okay."

Naegi turned around, glancing at his friend every now and then. "Is this about Celeste?"

Kyoko's eyes widened. _Does he know?_ She stared at her knee. "What do you mean?"

Naegi blinked. "Well—when she gave shook your hand...you just seemed so sad," he answered, tripping over his words. "That's all."

"Oh," Kyoko shifted towards him a little, "Yeah...I guess. She was an admirable person; it's sad to see her go. She could've been with us, instead of..." The detective stopped talking, lost in her thoughts again. "Any of them could've been one of us. And we're still nowhere near _safe_."

The detective's thoughts turned to what they had been last night— _none_ of them deserved to die, yet so many were already gone. Sayaka, Junko, Leon, Chihiro, Mondo, Ishimaru, Hifumi...and almost Celestia. They were all _dead_ , with no futures, no hope—

"Kirigiri," a voice boomed. The detective turned to the affluent progeny who had spoken. "You're late," Togami said, eyebrows furrowed.

"I noticed," Kyoko pursed her lips.

"Care to explain why?" he walked towards her.

The detective narrowed her eyes. "I didn't get enough sleep last night, that's all."

"We went to bed early," Togami muttered.

"You'd be surprised how long your thoughts can keep you awake," Kyoko responded, a sigh falling out of her lips.

* * *

Kyoko slipped out of her blazer, pulling on clothes for the night. She turned around, twirling her braid around her finger, restless. Her bed looked promising, but she didn't _feel_ tired. Her room felt empty; maybe because it _was_ —she hadn't bothered decorating it, leaving it the way she found it, which was...empty.

With a sigh, the lavender-haired girl walked to her bed.

Before she could get on, her thoughts were (once again) interrupted by the sound of her doorbell. Kyoko groaned, half-hoping it wasn't Naegi, who had been pestering her all day, and half-hoping it was.

It was Celeste.

"What are you doing here?" Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows, stepping in front of her door so the gambler couldn't push herself in like she did the night before. "Someone could've caught you."

Celestia sighed. "Did you really mess up the cameras?" she asked. "If it worked, thanks, but if it didn't, Monokuma isn't doing anything about me being here!" The black-haired gambler placed her hands on the other girl's shoulders. "Let me in, Kirigiri," she brought herself closer to the detective. "Do you know what I did all day? I sat there, alone, talking to _no one_. I haven't eaten _all day_. So you're going to let me in _right now_ , or—"

"Fine!" Kyoko hissed, her face pink. "I'll—I'll bring you food tomorrow."

"So you didn't bring me food today?"

"No, Ludenberg," the detective muttered. "I could go out now, technically. But I'm not sure if it would be safe."

"Well," Celestia flattened her shirt, "you're in a room with someone who's murdered two people, and hasn't eaten all day. Which method is safer, getting me food, or making me _stay_ hungry?"

Kyoko sighed. "Fine, whatever. Stay here. Or—don't stay here. Actually, wait, stay here, and _don't_ open the door, at _all_."

"I wasn't planning on opening it," Celestia answered, eyes narrowed. "How long are you going to take?"

Kyoko looked at the door. "I'll be back soon, don't worry."

"I wasn't planning on doing that, either."

The detective shook her head slightly, sighing (she'd been sighing a lot these days, and now that Celeste's life was on the line, she'd been sighing even more). She opened the door and slipped out, and closed it quickly, before anyone noticed she noticed it, or, more importantly, noticed the girl who was still sitting inside.

_I hate her_ , Kyoko thought, the words ringing clear in her mind—but _did_ she hate Celeste? _Of course I do_ , the lavender-haired girl argued with herself. _She murdered someone. They could've been our friends. And now she's making me get her food_ _._

_I definitely hate her._

_I hate Celestia Ludenberg and her pretty fucking face._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey besties im back
> 
> sorry that it's been three weeks hyperfixations am i right
> 
> if kyoko feels ooc then ummm look away i haven't proofread this at all

"Here's your food," Kyoko scowled, handing the gambler a cup of tea. "I couldn't find anything else. It was too dark."

Celeste peered into the cup. "Milk tea! You remembered!" she grinned, taking the cup from the other girl's hand. "I'm surprised. I did not expect you to remember."

"It's hard to forget after your little freak-out," the detective muttered. She sat on her bed, facing the wall, and propped her legs up on the headboard. "By the way...what am I supposed to call you? You seem to respond to Celestia, but since you rev—"

"My name is Celestia Ludenberg," the black-haired girl confirmed. " _Not_ anything else. Celestia Ludenberg. But you can call me Celeste. Now, why didn't you get some tea for yourself?"

Kyoko slid back into a sitting position, ignoring the other girl. "And...did you mean everything you said to me? Did you—is that really your dream?" There was a lump in her throat, and her stomach was clenched. She glanced at Celeste.

 _"Maybe dreams aren't so merciless._ "

"Celestia, did you _know_ you were going to make it out of there?"

"Of course not," the gambler laughed, taking a sip. "I thought I was going to die. But then, I slipped my hand into my pocket, and realized I could get out of there. It had to be quick, of course, but it was not planned until _after_ my little speech. Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Kyoko mumbled, hugging her knees. "How long are you staying here? In _my_ room?"

"As long as you'll have me," Celeste smirked, a playful twinkle in her eye.

Kyoko felt her cheeks heat up. "You should go back soon," she stammered—Kyoko _never_ stammered—turning around completely to look at Celestia. "I mean, what if someone comes in? You could hide in the bathroom, I guess, but that's not the _best_ idea—"

"Why would anyone come in?" Celeste raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning something, Kirigiri?"

"Sometimes Naegi comes in, just to check on me—"

"Are you planning something with him? Are you planning on killing Makoto, Kirigiri? Or perhaps something completely different?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Kyoko blushed harder. "Look—I'm not going to kill _anyone_ , okay? I'm not like you! And I'm not interested in Naegi—although it seems like he is interested in me," she muttered the last part to herself.

Celeste stood up from the chair she'd been sitting on. "Do you think I _wanted_ to kill them?" she grit her teeth. "I didn't! I had a motivation!"

"Your motivation was—it was _money_!" Kyoko argued, now standing up as well. "There's no justification for _killing_ someone, and money is far, far away from being close! And—and you could've _died_!" 

"Well, I didn't!" Celeste furrowed her eyebrows. "I was smart and I replaced myself with something else. Did you not notice I looked off? Fake?"

"I was too focused on the fire."

"Are you _scared_ of fire, Kirigiri?" Celeste smirked. "I did not expect you to be—"

"Stop expecting so much!"

Celeste paused, surprised. "Are you okay?" she asked, her voice softer than Kyoko had ever heard it.

"What if we don't get out of here," Kyoko asked, her breathing shaky. "What if—what if someone else dies, and I don't figure it out, and I don't reconnect with—what if everything goes wrong?!"

"Kirigiri," Celeste sat down next to her, a look of concern on her face. "Listen, the people left haven't killed for so long, it would be unusual for them to kill now. No one else is dying. They don't have a motive—"

"You didn't have a motive," Kyoko interrupted. "You didn't have a motive until a few days ago, and then—and then you killed someone. Once you get a motive, what's stopping you? The fear of execution? These people aren't _dumb_ , Celeste."

The gambler pursed her lips. "Well, _some_ of them aren't idiots...the rest are just lucky," she muttered, before looking back at Kyoko. "Look, I can't control what anyone else does," she said, clearly struggling to help the detective. "But I truly think that almost no one from who's left would kill someone."

Kyoko swallowed. "I'm sorry that I'm making you deal with this," she said softly. "I think...I think you can go now," she nodded slightly, glancing at Celeste.

The black-haired girl hesitated, eyebrows furrowed, but finally obliged to the other's words. "Good night, Kirigiri," she said, pausing at the door. "And...stay safe."

* * *

"You're back," Kyoko muttered.

"I brought cards!" Celeste smiled smugly, waving a deck in front of the detective's face.

Kyoko sighed, letting her in. "And I got you your tea."

"This should be fun," the gambler hopped down on to the floor. "Say, Kirigiri, your room is quite...lacking." She looked around. "It looks unchanged."

Kyoko remembered Celeste's room; her bed had been coffin-like, and there had been unworn clothes on display near the walls. She had a small set of books above her bed, as well, along with other small decorations that showcased how gothic she was.

"I didn't find a need to change it," Kyoko shrugged.

Celestia furrowed her eyebrows, pulling the cards away from the rubber band that tied them all together. "Oh. My room came decorated. Perhaps they thought this matched your personality."

Kyoko blinked, confused as well. She handed the other girl her tea, and sipped the coffee she had brought for herself. "Now what?"

"Have you ever gambled, Kirigiri?" Celestia asked, a dark look in her red eyes, and an even scarier smile on her lips.

"Yes," Kyoko answered, her voice struggling to stay a deadpan. She could feel the heat on her cheeks. "I've gambled a few times. I usually win."

"Oh, it seems like you're not the goody two-shoes I thought you were," Celeste continued shuffling. "I'm not surprised you've won, with that everlasting poker face of yours. Shall we play, then?"

Kyoko smiled, her eyes half-lidded. "I don't see why not, Ludenberg."

"What are we betting?" the gambler asked, setting the cards straight. "We don't have any chips." She thought for a moment, before grinning widely. "We could play strip po—"

"We are _not_ playing strip poker."

Celeste pouted. "Fine. What do you suggest we bet for?"

The detective paused for a moment. "If I win, you have to tell me about your past."

Celeste furrowed her eyebrows. "Fine. If _I_ win, you have to tell me more about _your_ past."

"I have amnesia."

"Do you, really?"

"Yes. Yes I do."

Celestia pursed her lips angrily. "Fine. If I win, you have to tell me everything that happens at this school. Everything you know." Her eyes went dark again. "No secrets, Kirigiri."

"It's a deal," Kyoko smirked, trying to hide the fear the other girl instilled in her. She took the cards the gambler had dealt, scanning over them quickly.

"We're playing bluff," Celeste explained, analyzing her cards as well.

"With two people?"

"Limited amount of cards. Each person only gets fifteen, although you must have already noticed."

"I did," Kyoko peered at the gambler over her cards. "Odd choice of game, but I can work with it. I thought you'd play poker, though."

Celestia rolled her eyes. "We're only doing a friendly game; I play poker when I want money or something more...important. _Or,_ " Celeste added, glaring at the detective, "if I wanted to play str—"

"I'm not playing strip poker with you," Kyoko muttered, a stern tone to her voice, as she tried to hide the warm blush dusting her cheeks. "I'm fine with bluff. Best out of three?"

"If you wish," Celeste smirked. She placed down the ace of spades. "You can start, Kirigiri."

"One two," Kyoko placed her cards face down on top of the former.

"One three," Celestia slid her cards on top of Kyoko's.

"Two fours."

"Three fives."

"One six."

"You're lying," Celeste interrupted, a cold glow to her eyes. "Or shall I say, bluffing."

Kyoko pursed her lips, flipping over the card she put down—a seven of hearts. "How the fuck did you know?"

"There were several signs," Celestia smirked, gathering all the cards. "One, I had two sixes," she flipped over two of her cards—six of diamonds and six of hearts—"but that wasn't quite enough information. The other times, you were looking at your cards. This time, though, you were looking at me, probably for signs of me catching you," she smiled smugly, "which I _did_."

Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows, looking away.

"And lastly," Celeste stacked the cards up, "your shoulders tensed up slightly, and noticeably loosened when you'd placed the card down. You still looked like you were holding your breath, though—and your fingers were curled up tightly. So I called bluff."

"It seems like I was being more obvious than I thought. You'd do well in the courtroom," Kyoko replied with a sigh. "It's a shame you—" she stopped herself. "Next game, then? I want to know all about your past."

"I still think we should play strip poker," Celeste sighed.

The two of them continued playing for the next half hour—Kirigiri won the next round, but Celestia beat her again in the third round with a triumphant smirk and Kyoko calling her bluff incorrectly.

"It looks like I've won, Kirigiri," Celeste stood up, looming over the detective, cards in hand. "You better report everything that happens."

Kyoko sighed at the lost oppurtunity to find out more about the gambler's history. "Of course. Now let me sleep—it's already eleven."

"You act as if it is three in the morning," Celestia rolled her eyes. "It's not even midnight. But I will leave you alone," she grumbled, walking past the gambler. Before she opened the door, she turned around slightly, saying, "You're better than I expected, Kirigiri."

"The game wasn't exactly difficult," Kyoko responded, "It was just bluff. I assumed we would play something more stimulating, like poker."

"Ah, well, poker is certainly more enticing," the gambler fanned the cards out in front of her face, before pushing them back together. "But I refuse to play any sort of poker with you that isn't strip poker." With that, she pulled open the door and slipped out, before she could see the dim blush on Kyoko's face.

* * *

"Are you okay, Kirigiri?" Makoto asked, pursing his lips.

Kyoko glanced at him. "I'm fine...why?"

"You seem...tired again. Tired and distracted," the brown-haired boy shrugged. "Like you're not getting enough sleep. And I swear I saw something last night—"

(It took all of Kyoko's will to not physically jump. _She needs to be more careful,_ the detective thought.)

"—but I didn't do anything about it," he finished, ending with a sigh. "You're okay, right?"

"Of course," Kyoko responded, nodding absentmindedly.

* * *

"Why are you here again?" Kyoko furrowed her eyebrows.

Celeste crossed her arms. "Where's the food, Kirigiri?"

The detective sighed. "I have it. Get in, before someone sees you," she muttered, remembering Naegi's words. "You're going to get caught."

Celestia rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to get _caught_ ," she said. "I'm extremely careful. I'm sure no one has even seen me."

"Makoto saw you!" Kyoko hissed. "He told me he saw something...as in, he saw _you_." The lavender-haired student shut the door quietly, biting her lip. "Just be careful, okay? If you get caught we'll both be in trouble."

"Monokuma wouldn't punish you," Celestia answered.

"I messed with the cameras. He would."

The gambler sighed. "I forgot about that," she responded. She picked up the cup of steaming tea on the table. "Is that... _coffee_?" she asked, peering at the container next to it. "And a carafe, no less."

"I don't like tea," Kyoko mumbled, striding next to her. She picked up the carafe. "And I couldn't find a normal container in the dark."

"Right," Celeste nodded sarcastically, taking a sip of her tea. "Is that what we're doing today? Having a tea party? Do you have food, too?"

Kyoko pointed at the plate of sandwiches. "There."

"Ah. We've upgraded to a picnic."

The detective pouted, turning around. "You're going after you eat, right? Or are we gambling again?" she said the last part with a roll of her eyes, her free hand waving around. " _Please_ don't suggest the second option."

Celeste sat down on the floor abruptly, reaching for the plate of sandwiches. She settled the cup of tea next to her, and grabbed a sandwich. "I haven't had one of these in a long time," she murmured to herself, ignoring Kyoko's question. "They're not...very..."

"Eat them," Kyoko frowned, sitting down on her bed. "I'm not bringing you anything else."

Celestia opened her mouth. "Are you—are you sure you don't have anything else?" she paused.

"Look, I know you don't like being reminded of Taeko, but you're going to eat that sandwich, or you're going to starve," Kyoko stood up, stomping her foot. "I'm not bringing you anything else!"

"Fine!" Celeste glared daggers at the detective, before hesitating again. She reluctantly obliged, taking a bite.

"You chew _so_ slowly."

"I'm _savoring_ the food."

"So you admit you enjoy it?" Kyoko smirked, settling down again.

"...Kirigiri," the gambler frowned. "This...abominable food is not to my liking. But it's all I eat all day," she shoved the rest of it into her mouth and grabbed another one, "so excuse me if I'm a little desperate." 

Kyoko pursed her lips. "Maybe I should bring you more...or bring it to you at another time."

"It's too dangerous."

The lavender-haired girl sighed. "Well, Ludenberg, do you have any other ideas?"

"No," Celestia took another sip. "This is fine, honestly. I will just eat more now, and it should be sufficient. Adequate enough. Fine."

"It's extremely clear you want more food," Kyoko deadpanned. "I'll see if I can carry more later. I don't want you to...get mad. You get very irritated when you're hungry." The detective shuddered, remembering what happened with Hifumi.

Celeste glared at her. "Whatever," she muttered, fiddling with her ring. "When are we going to play poker?"

Kyoko froze. "I _explicitly_ said I refuse to gamble with you," she grit her teeth, furrowing her eyebrows. "Poker, believe it or not, is gambling."

"If I don't gamble again soon I'm going to forget how to do it," Celeste stood up, shoving another sandwich into her mouth. "It's impolite to refuse your guests, Kirigiri. Unwanted or not." She swallowed, stepping closer to the lavender-haired student.

Kyoko took in her face—the slope of her small nose, the strands of hair falling down her face, the deep red of her eyes. The detective's own face felt warm all of a sudden; the gambler was close, _too_ close—Kyoko's gaze flickered down to Celeste's lips, only a few inches away from her own.

"F-fine," Kyoko stammered, backing up on her small bed. "Poker it is."

"Great!" Celestia backed away, a grin on her face. She clapped her hands together. "One round. If you win?"

"You tell me about your past. If you win?"

"You have to try tea," the gambler smirked. "I have the cards."

Kyoko sighed, pushing past the other girl to sit on the small table located a few feet away from then. She sat down on one of the chairs—Celestia followed by sitting on the one opposite to her. The black-haired student pulled out a deck, and quickly slid the detective's cards to her.

"You seem confident about this," Kyoko narrowed her eyes.

"Seeming confident is a good strategy," Celeste shrugged, smiling smugly. She picked up her cards—her gaze shot up and quickly.

Kyoko looked at her own cards; four of a kind—a five of spades and one of each nine. Her chances of winning were certainly better than she'd expected. She glanced at Celeste again—the gambler's expression was suddenly neutral.

_She was more confident before. Is she trying to trick me? Does she have a good hand, as well?_

_Or maybe she really does have a bad hand, and she's trying to make me think she has a good hand..._

The detective held the urge to groan—gambling with the Ultimate Gambler was harder than she thought—she usually never second-guessed herself this much, going around in pointless circles.

"Well?" Celeste waited, looking at the other with half-lidded eyes.

"Fold," Kyoko sighed, revealing her cards.

"What a shame," Celeste snickered. "I had a straight." She uncovered her cards—a two of hearts, a three of diamonds, a four of clubs, a five of diamonds, and a six of spades. The gambler stood up, smirking. "I guess you're drinking tea tomorrow, Kirigiri."

Kyoko rolled her eyes, putting her cards down.

* * *

"Kirigiri, are you _sure_ you're okay?"

"I'm _fine_ , Naegi," the detective snapped. "I just haven't been getting lots of sleep lately, with all that's happened, and it's finally catching up to me."

"Oh," the boy blinked. "Well, um, maybe try to go to sleep earlier today?"

 _Like that's going to happen,_ Kyoko thought, sighing. "I'll drink some tea today. Maybe it will help me."

"Y-you?" Makoto frowned. "Drink _tea_? I thought you hated tea?"

"You can think a lot of things. Not all of them are accurate." Kyoko stood up. "Goodbye, Naegi."

The boy looked more confused than he did when they'd all seen Monokuma for the first time. "G-goodbye? I think?" he stuttered, raising an eyebrow.

 _He's going to find_ _out_ , Kyoko groaned.

* * *

A sigh left the detective's lips when she entered her room.

Celeste was there, as always, a bored look on her face. She sat at the small table in Kyoko's room, tapping the top of it restlessly. Her other arm's elbow was propped against the table, its hand slumped against her cheek. Her gaze drifted lazily to Kyoko—suddenly she jerked up, eyes wide, attempting to regain her composure. "Hello, Kirigiri," she greeted.

"Hello," Kyoko nodded. "I got your tea." She brought her hand up to show the gambler.

"And your tea as well, I presume?" Celeste smirked, eyelashes fluttering. "You're in debt of drinking some."

Kyoko sighed. "All you do is make my life hell," she muttered to herself. She placed both cups of tea on the table—somehow she had managed to bring in another plate of sandwiches, as well, balancing it on her shoulder. Shakily, the detective pushed it so it slid down, settling on the table. "Here's your food."

"Thank you," Celestia grabbed the plate hungrily. She picked a sandwich up and took a large bite.

"Sorry if it's not enough," Kyoko apologized, glancing at her tea. The drink felt warm under her gloved fingers, the steam raising and clouding the area in front of her face. She scrunched her nose, raising the cup to her lips.

The tea tasted exquisite; delicate. It was harsh and hot and smooth and rich and fine all at the same time. Kyoko closed her eyes, before proceeding to blink while swallowing.

Celeste glanced up at her, eyes wide with curiosity. "How is it?" she asked, shoving yet another sandwich into her mouth.

"It's...okay," Kyoko nodded, taking another sip. She was too used to coffee, bitter and straight to the point, and not as _confusing_. Tea was...something else. It felt fit that of all people, _Celeste_ would like it. She was just as confusing as its contradicting taste, just as complex as the tea was rich. She could be hot and scalding, but sometimes she was delicate and composed. Celestia Ludenberg was a maze of questions, an unsolvable puzzle, an endless paradox.

The gambler frowned. "Just _okay_? Tea is—tea is one of the best things I've ever tasted!" she retorted.

"Keep eating those sandwiches," the detective sighed, earning a huff from Celestia. This mood of the black-haired student was certainly one of the most endearing—she felt like a _real_ person, with _real_ emotions.

Not that Kyoko found Celeste endearing. Or cared.

"I'll go now," Celeste said, standing up. She stepped towards the distracted detective, and brushed away a loose strand of hair. "You look like you haven't been getting enough sleep."

Kyoko flushed bright pink. "I'll—I'm fine. You can go if you want, though."

Celeste blinked. "Good night, Kirigiri," she said, walking behind the detective.

Kyoko's gaze trailed after her. "Good night, Celestia."


End file.
